Muhammad Ali vs. Awkward fighters

Only difference is Walcott lost 1 out of 3 times he stepped in the ring.

 

Muhammad at his seventies best was still very fast. Still the fastest heavy around but he had still slowed up a tad. He was getting tagged a bit more,although not as often as he was post Manila and his workrate had lessened. The nearest Muhammad came to reproducing his sixties form was in the second Quarry,Norton and Frazier fights. Plus the Foreman one.

 

Ali lost to Ken Norton. Let that sink in. Imagine exclusively watching a division where arguably the greatest fighter within it got beat up by a glorified club fighter. Yikes.

 

Ken Norton was certainly a lot more than a glorified club fighter. Most knowledgeable boxing people rate him as a top 5 heavy of the 1970s.

 

Takeaway Ali what does he have? He’s subject to triangle reasoning nothing more. He beat Ali, so he must be great, Ali beat him so he must be great.

 

Ali wasn't easy to beat. Up until the point Norton faced him he had only lost 1 fight in his career to another great fighter. So obviously beating a former heavyweight champion of Ali's stature would be a high point in his career.
Norton beat other good heavyweights throughout the 1970s. Jerry Quarry, Jimmy Young. He surprised the highly touted Duane Bobick with a 1st round stoppage. Not to mention lost a razor close decision to Lawrence Holmes a top 5 heavyweight in history. (Classic fight) Norton was a shade past his prime no less gave a good account of himself.

One other thing is that Ken Norton was trained by Eddie Futch. I don't think he would waste his time with a club fighter.

 

Lol yeah I don't think Futch would be training the type of fighter @Journeyman92 is describing.

 

You don’t think good coaches can’t train average fighters? Eddie Futch also trained Freddie Roach who was obviously no great boxer and countless others who would become nothing in history save that they were trained by Futch.

 

So in terms of actual wins besides Ali he had one over a shot Quarry a guy he’d ducked for ages since Quarry used to KO him in sparring and a close one with the “great” Jimmy Young.

 

What is with this lack of giving Norton his due? Norton was capable of giving a real rough night to, and potentially beating, anybody who wasn't a huge hitter. Norton was an ATG level fighter let down by a mediocre chin. Not some club level fighter. Jeez.

 

But he did not imitate Ali, and Ali did borrow from him.

 

Young wasn't awkward. He had a very classical boxing style.

 

Rosembloom is too ancient and thus not skilled enough to stand a chance.
Walcott was good, but he ain't got the size nor speed.
Roy is basically a smaller version of Ali, albeit a bigger puncher p4p. But the size gap is kinda big, Ali takes it.
Fury mops the floor with Ali, he's too smart and skilled enough, he uses his size to his advantage.

 

Maybe Ali should've given him his winning percentage in return.

 

Haha - royalties!

- Royalties! Charged with plagiarism but settled amicably with Joisey Joe out of court.

Just like Sam Smiths STAY WITH ME vs Tom Petty’s I WON’T BACK DOWN - though Tom did (back down) when Sam came to the percentage party.